Is this the standard soreness that comes with coming back and pushing through a recovery from knee surgery, or is this the continuation of bigger issues?

We don’t know the answer. If someone tells you they know, they’re selling something. People have opinions on what they think it is, how serious it is, but nobody knows. We’re going to find out as we push into the season.

“Just trying to protect myself, just knowing that this is a long, long schedule and this is the most basketball I’ll be playing in two years,” Rose said. “So I’m just going in, trying to gear up, making sure that I’m healthy….”

Rose went through shootaround Wednesday morning and participated in pre-game warmups. At one point, he said the decision to sit was “a team thing.” At another point, he said, “They gave me the opportunity to go out there and play tonight, and I chose to rest a little bit.”

Then, he said, “I wouldn’t say it’s my call.”

Rose practiced Thursday also, again saying he plans to play Friday.

The crowd chanted Rose’s name at a couple points Wednesday. He said he wanted to play but he knows that pushing too hard for a meaningless summer exhibition is not the call. There’s a lot of team USA basketball left as the team heads to Spain for the World Cup, followed by the marathon of an NBA season. Patience is the right play here. And patience is never popular with any fan base.

Ultimately, it will be a while before we know where Rose really stands.

It’s impossible to ever really define and entire large city in one bit of writing. But this story comes as close to defining the intricate relationship of San Antonio with the Spurs as you are going to see.